The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-04-02

pear, am constrained 10 ADMIT, even
me-may be explained, and Wardour ma
be acquitted but until then"
heard no more. They told me aftel
wards that l had swooned.
There were two dreadful appearances i
police court, of which, like an epicure i
anguish, l studied all the details in tn
daily journals. l was not forbidden, for
think my uncle fancied that so only coul
my mind be effectually freed from the de
lusion of Oswald Wardour's innocence.
The case was indeed dark against tn
prisoner, and there were moments whel
confidence reeled, and | feared that
might have to drink my cup of bitterness
to the dregs, and with my own reasonin!
faculties acquiesce in verdict of condem
nation. But the memory of many ant
many quiet chat in which 0swalds higl
aspirations and upright character had stooc
revealed came back like procession o
mournful ghosts and reproached me witt
my doubts.
Gathered into narrow space, the testi
mony on which the charge was based wa
as follows: Oswald Wardour had admitted
to Mr. Hollinsworth the pressing want o
precisely the sum obtained as the fruit o.
the unscrupulous deceit. He had tried t.
borrow the amount, and ultimately failed.
To the truth of the greater part of thii
sworn evidence of the senior clerk too
could have witnessed, had the prosecution
had any inkling of the circumstances
luckily, they were in darkness.
The check that bore the forged signature
was one that had been drawn ''to bearer, "
for Mr.. Craigs approval and completion,
on the previous evening; and as, contrary
to expectation, my uncle had not reappeared
in the counting-house after noon, had been
left in private letter-rack until the morn
ing. But on the morrow it had myster-
iously vanished-until confidential warn
ing sent to the bank had revealed that it
had already been negotiated by Oswald
Wardour The fraud was at once de-
tected.
The prisoners defence was declared by
the newspapers to be daring" which was
their euphemism for improbable and I'M
satisfactory. Without equivocation, Os-
wald acknowledged that he had asked Mr.
Hollinsworth for a loan of two hundred
pounds for three months. He further af-
firmed that his senior had alternated be-
tween willingness and unwillingness to grant
his petition for momentary aid. But what
was his meditated Use for money he refused
to say; and the silence was interpreted
against him. Finally-on the very night
in question-he had casually met Hollins-
worth, and had been recommended to a
friend who would supply the required sum
on the following morning at coffee-room
in Cannon Street. Suspecting no evil, he
went to Torleni's restaurant, and met there
middle-aged man, with massive features,
raven-black hair, and hawk-like nose
such was Qswald's description, and it fixed
itself in my memory-who said that he was
the junior partner in Wiltonwort & Co., a
new firm recently founded in the same line
as the great house of sc. Craig" He
knew and respected Mr.. Hollinsworth, and
on his introduction would oblige Oswald.
1t was surprise-said the aecused-to find
that the draft thus offered bore Mr.. Craig's
name; but plausible account of bust
ness transaction was carelessly given, and
Oswald did not dream of treachery. Even
when the unsigned check vas missed, q
vague sense of uneasiness was all that
troubled him, until his feet were actually
caught in the net.
This tale pointed to a conspiracy, of
which no fragment of coroboration was
forthcoming. Mr.. Hollinsworth denied
every word of it that inculpated himself,
and was believed-except by one weak girl.
| had never liked this man, although at one
time or another and in divers ways | had
seen much of him, and had been impressed
by his great mercantile knowledge and his
impossible demeanor. Still my uncle had
always implicitly trusted him.
The case against Oswald as it stood,
awaiting the last word of so-called justice,
was currently held to be tested and deter
mined by single question: Where was
the shadowy individual who played so con-
spicuous part in the prisoners narrative !?
Wiltonwort & Go. knew nothing of him.
Let the accused produce him, or put the
police upon his track.
My uncle was very kind to me in those
days He could not help seeing that was
suffering, and the cause was not far to seek.
But he refrained alike from harassing in
quiries and from expostulation. He prob
ably reproaehed himself for ever bringing
into juxtaposition the infammable material
of two young hearts. My knowledge of
what was in Oswald's heart was surrepti-
tious; he had never told me that he loved
me or had asked me to be his wife.
"London is not suiting you in these close
days, Bertha, said my uncle gravely one
evening, in the interval that was to precede
Oswald's trial at-name of horror and
doom THE Old Bailey. Suppose you
run down to the Edgerleys' place in War
wickshire for week or two; they'll be
delighted to make you welcome"
These were the friends of my Italian
and was sure that the sug-
gestiop was not broached at hapbazard.
There had doubtless been correspondence.
HeSllateu' 1ueu- NcH; IL you WISH
1t, think l will go, uncle" said.
My preparations for the journey were
not elaborate, Mrs. Brett, the housekeeper
at Lincoln Square, was a person of fore
thought and resource, and a few hours
suficed to have my travelling boxes inspect
ed and packed; and my uncle saw me into
a reserved frst.class carriage at Euston.
The train by which | travelled was an
express, but not of the imperial kind that
carry her Majestys northward and west
ward bound mails 1t stopped at all the
chief functions from Willesden to its goal.
1t was Immediately after passing one of
these stages that seemingly trivial circum-
stance occurred, upon which, with mental
vision less quickened by suffering, should
perhaps have bestowed no particular atten-
tion. Certain fragments of torn paper
fluttered in the breeze past my open window,
and one of them-somewha larger than
its companions--became fixed between the
mahogany slide and the blind cord. 1t
quivered there like an ensnared live thing.
Suddenly started, and queer thought
dominated my brain. The clear, fine cali
graphy was wondrously like the writing of
my uncles chief clerk. | examined the